52 Ancestors: Week 23, Niclaus Joder

08 Jun, 2026

Orginal post: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Niclaus Joder, son of Adam and Barbara "Barbli" (Ochsenbein) Joder, was baptized in Steffisburg, Switzerland 5 October 1673¹ and died probably in or near Mußbach, Electoral Palatinate (now Rhineland-Palatine, Germany) by 1740.²

Niclaus' brother Johannes acquired 461 acres in Oley, Berks County, Pennsylvania in 1731. In his will, Johannes of Oley left half of the land to his son by his first marriage, also named Johannes, and the other half to his son by his second marriage, Daniel. Daniel died intestate about 1747.

English law at the time favored a “whole blood” cousin over a half-sibling in terms of inheritance. Thus, instead of passing to his half-brother Johannes of Oley, Daniel's land would have passed to his uncle Niclaus. However, Niclaus was already deceased, so it passed Niclaus' eldest son Johannes of Mußbach.

Johannes of Mußbach had no use for the land on the other side of the Atlantic, so on 31 January 1771, he sold it to his cousin Johannes of Oley. All of the above details are laid out in the deed. Jacob Joder of Oley, another cousin of the two, traveled to Mußbach to witness the deed. He returned to Pennsylvania by 29 June 1771 when he presented the deed and testified that he witnessed Johannes Joder of Mußbach sign.³

Niclaus is stated in the aforementioned deed to have died about 1741. We know, however, he was deceased by 1740 when he is listed as such in his son Conrad's confirmation.² He may be "Nicoläus Jother" who died in Weidenthal (about 12 miles Mußbach) from 15 April 1739.⁴

Children of Niclaus Joder (approximate birth order):²

1. Johannes Joder, b. by 1700.
2. Maria Joder.
3. Niclaus Joder.
4. Conrad Joder, b. about 1725.